Certainty: 2 Returning from Cilicia, Ioannes II sent a detachment to punish the people of Ikonion Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Return to Constantinople of Ioannes II's brother Isaakios & Isaakios' son Ioannes
The sebastokrator Isaakios and his eldest son Ioannes (a fine warrior) had left Byzantium over a small quarrel and travelled round neighbouring courts, many (like that of Mas'ud of Ikonion) hostile to the empire. He plotted continually against his imperial brother. But Isaakios was impoverished and felt marginalised by the glory won by the campaigns of Ioannes II, which meant that foreigners now refused to support his plans for rebellion. So he and his son returned to Constantinople as part of Ioannes II's triumph, and were warmly received by him. Poems were written by Theodoros Prodromos to celebrate Isaakios' pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and commissioning of a picture of Ioannes for himself
Certainty: 2 Celebrations after the return of Ioannes II from Syria & Cilicia Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Literary work celebrating Isaakios Porphyrogennetos after his return Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Nikephoros Basilakes wrote a speech to welcome Ioannes II on his return from Syria Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Operations, building & preparations in Western Anatolia Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II made an expedition to Pontos, & wintered there Certainty: 3
Certainty: 1 Theodoros Prodromos began to write poems of pure begging Certainty: 1
1140
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II attacked Neokaisareia in appalling conditions Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II praised his son, Manuel (I), for bravery but thrashed him for rashness Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Defection to the Turks of the emperor's nephew Ioannes Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3 Retreat of the Byzantine forces from Neokaisareia Certainty: 3
1141
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II reached Constantinople on his return from Pontos Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II left the capital for Lopadion Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2 Roger II asked Ioannes II for an imperial bride for his son - but Ioannes' death intervened Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II returned to Constantinople after the summer Certainty: 3
Certainty: 1 Fragmentary text (by Basilakes?) mentions naval activity against Sicily Certainty: 1
Certainty: 1 Poems of Theodoros Prodromos to Theodoros Stypeiotes Certainty: 1
1142
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II left Constantinople for Attaleia Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II went to Sozopolis, then captured islands in Lake Pousgouse, suffering losses Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II planned a "portion" in the south for his son Manuel (I)
Ioannes II had long ago made his eldest son, Alexios, his co-emperor, and planned to bequeath the empire to him. But he became aware that there were many premonitions in favour of the youngest, Manuel (I), who also had personal qualities of an imperial type. When he heard of the revolt of Raymond of Antioch, he thought of an alternative arrangement, to make Antioch, Cilicia, Attaleia and Cyprus into a southern "portion" for Manuel
Certainty: 2 Birth of Alexios, fifth child of the sebastokrator Andronikos Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Bertha von Sulzbach on arrival spoke prophetically about Alexios the co-emperor Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Death of Alexios & Andronikos, sons of Ioannes II, around Attaleia Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Death of Andronikos on the boat taking Alexios' body home: Isaakios took over Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II arrived unannounced at Tell Bashir Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II approached closer to Antioch, then withdrew to winter quarters
From Tell Bashir, Ioannes II moved towards Antioch, taking up a position ot Gastounai with the idea of restraining Raymond of Poitiers. From there he sent messengers to Antioch, so as to activate the treaty made in 1137. He asked that Antioch and its contents be handed over as a base for war with neighbouring peoples, promising to interpret the treaty generously. The Antiochenes debated how to reply. They decided that a large and rich city like Antioch should not be handed over to the Byzantines, whose sloth would lose it, as before. But it was necessary to cloak this decision in a persuasive pretext for (apparently) breaking the pact. They sent messengers to Ioannes to inform him that he could not enter the city. They claimed that neither Raymond's wife Constance nor he (whose rule was dependent on marriage to her) had the right to hand over Antioch, which belonged to its people. If the rulers accepted Ioannes' request, they would be disinherited and driven out. Ioannes was angered at this reply, but he knew how stubborn the Antiochenes could be. It would be unexpectedly difficult to enter the city, and even if he succeeded, he might have little long-term effect. He did not want war between Christians, and so decided not to force entry into Antioch. He camped in the suburbs, allowing his troops to take all they could, especially necessary supplies, so that they burned fruit-trees as wood for cooking; he then returned to winter quarters in Cilicia
Certainty: 2 Determination of Ioannes II to continue his campaign to Antioch & visit Jerusalem Certainty: 2
1143
Certainty: 3 Mortal injury of Ioannes II when hunting Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Deathbed speech of Ioannes II, bequeathing the throne to Manuel (I) Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2 Accession of Manuel I Komnenos Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3 Death of Ioannes II Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II's body was loaded on shipboard at Mopsuestia & buried splendidly in the Pantokrator Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Dismay at the death of Ioannes II with the army so far from the capital Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Later epitaph for Ioannes II recording the succession of Manuel I Certainty: 2
1145
Certainty: 2 Raymond was forced to supplicate Ioannes II's tomb before Manuel forgave him Certainty: 2
1146
Certainty: 2 Violent quarrel among Komnenian family members at Metabole Certainty: 2